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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stem — to come from
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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