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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rock — music
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. content — happy
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. club — a group
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rock — a stone
  18. foot — a measure
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. drill — a practice
  22. content — the amount
  23. club — for golf
  24. pit — a hole

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