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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bat — the animal
  6. current — of water
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. current — electric
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — a lid
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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