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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. net — for catching
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cap — of ice
  5. current — happening now
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. season — in sport
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cap — a hat
  12. current — of water
  13. season — of the year
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. net — after costs
  19. roll — a cake
  20. net — in sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. current — electric
  23. stem — to come from
  24. roll — a list

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