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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — clothes
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. squash — the sport
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — moving air
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. staff — employees
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wind — moving air
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — to crush
  24. cap — of ice

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