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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cap — of ice
  3. last — finally
  4. root — the cause
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. last — to go on
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. root — of a word
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. last — final
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fine — all right

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