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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stock — shares
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — a skill
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pound — a weight
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rest — a break
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. craft — boats
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stock — goods

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