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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ball — a dance
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. cap — a lid
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cap — of ice
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — a weight
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — to go on
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a great time

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