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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 124 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cap — a hat
  3. march — the month
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. last — final
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — music
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — to go on
  11. march — the month
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. last — finally
  19. cap — a lid
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stem — to come from
  24. ruler — a monarch

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