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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. club — for golf
  4. ground — a position
  5. current — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cap — of ice
  9. ball — a great time
  10. current — electric
  11. ground — crushed
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ground — the earth
  20. game — a match
  21. club — a group
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. current — happening now
  24. game — a kind of play

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