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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mate — a partner
  3. stock — shares
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stock — goods
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. craft — boats
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mark — a grade

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