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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. degree — an amount
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. firm — decided
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. degree — from a university
  16. firm — a company
  17. drill — army training
  18. lean — thin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. firm — steady
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — a practice
  24. degree — temperature

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