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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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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cap — a lid
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wound — an injury
  13. kid — child
  14. fine — all right
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. fall — to drop
  20. key — in music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — high quality
  24. key — the most important part

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