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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. scale — in music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — in control
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pit — a hole
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pit — in a 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