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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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468
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. scale — in music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. kick — in football
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stand — to bear
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. present — a gift
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. race — a contest
  18. present — there
  19. mate — a friend
  20. dip — to sink
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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