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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cap — a lid
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. craft — boats
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com