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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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Word bank
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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mate — a partner
  5. snap — to click
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — a price
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. vault — a safe
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stand — for spectators

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