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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 was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. scale — size or range
  3. press — newspapers
  4. club — for golf
  5. cap — a hat
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. kick — in football
  10. club — a group
  11. press — a publisher
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. scale — in music
  16. wind — moving air
  17. press — to push
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cap — of ice
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. cap — a lid

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