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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. shower — to wash
  4. firm — steady
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. firm — decided
  9. degree — from a university
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. firm — a company
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. degree — an amount
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mine — for digging
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cap — a hat
  23. shower — rain
  24. fan — a supporter

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