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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. charge — a price
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. charge — electricity
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. chest — a box
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. tube — a container
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — the underground
  19. charge — in control
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cell — a phone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. chest — of your body

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