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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. object — an aim
  3. cap — a hat
  4. degree — an amount
  5. object — to protest
  6. can — a tin
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. board — a committee
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — of ice
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. degree — from a university
  13. club — for golf
  14. board — to get on
  15. object — a thing
  16. band — a music group
  17. club — a group
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. degree — temperature
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cap — a lid
  24. band — a ring

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