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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cap — of ice
  3. race — humankind
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stem — to come from
  8. club — for golf
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. race — a contest
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. race — the arms race
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fork — in a road
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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