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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. degree — temperature
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cap — of ice
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rock — music
  11. cap — a lid
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. rock — a stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. degree — an amount
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — there
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. degree — from a university
  24. chip — in a computer

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