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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. cap — a hat
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cue — a hint
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. can — a tin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — there
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cap — a lid
  13. roll — a list
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ground — crushed
  16. present — the time now
  17. cap — of ice
  18. present — a gift
  19. can — a tin
  20. cue — for pool
  21. roll — a cake
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. cue — a signal

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