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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. last — finally
  4. cap — a lid
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — to go on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cap — a hat
  14. last — final
  15. dip — to sink
  16. toast — bread
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cell — a phone
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cell — in biology

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