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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fork — in a road
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cold — not warm
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pop — music
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pop — soda
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. present — the time now
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cold — an illness
  21. present — there
  22. pop — to visit
  23. present — a gift
  24. bowl — a dish

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