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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 116 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — all right
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rest — a break
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — low music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rest — what's left

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