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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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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ball — a great time
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. file — a document
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mug — a face
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mate — a partner
  21. file — a tool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a dance

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