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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. march — the month
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. march — the month
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. march — music
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stand — to bear
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — to fit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. leaves — of a tree

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