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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pop — soda
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. firm — a company
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ground — the earth
  10. can — a tin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. firm — steady
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pop — music
  17. ground — a position
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. can — a tin
  20. firm — decided
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cap — of ice

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