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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fall — to drop
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — to fit
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. race — a contest
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fall — the season
  22. mug — a face
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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