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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fine — all right
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. track — a song
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fine — high quality
  23. board — a committee
  24. track — a path

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