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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mark — a trace
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fine — high quality
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. current — happening now
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mark — a grade
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cap — of ice
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bear — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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