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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cap — a hat
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. kick — in football
  12. season — of the year
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. season — in sport
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cap — a lid

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