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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. game — wild animals
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. staff — employees
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — high quality
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. staff — a stick
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bark — to shout
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — all right
  23. cap — of ice
  24. game — a match

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