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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. band — a ring
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. dip — to sink
  8. deal — to handle
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — to crush
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. band — a music group
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cap — a lid
  19. toast — bread
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bay — a horse colour

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