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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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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. suit — in cards
  3. shower — rain
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lean — to bend
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lean — thin
  9. drill — a practice
  10. suit — to fit
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cap — a lid
  20. suit — clothes
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. drill — army training
  23. scale — in music
  24. deal — a big deal

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