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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fine — all right
  13. rock — music
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fine — high quality
  21. dip — to sink
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — on your feet

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