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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fork — in a road
  3. track — a song
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. suit — in cards
  12. toast — bread
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cap — a lid
  22. club — for golf
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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