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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 116 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. band — a music group
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pit — a hole
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cap — a hat
  13. degree — temperature
  14. band — a ring
  15. craft — boats
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. degree — from a university
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. degree — an amount
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cap — of ice

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