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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ball — a great time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. lie — to recline

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