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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ball — a great time
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stand — to bear
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cue — a signal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. can — a tin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. charge — in control
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. can — a tin

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