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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a hat
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. toast — bread
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fall — to drop
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fall — the season
  24. wave — with your hand

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