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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  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 lid
  2. current — happening now
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tube — a container
  6. present — the time now
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. current — of water
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cap — a hat
  13. dip — to sink
  14. present — a gift
  15. stand — to bear
  16. current — electric
  17. present — there
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pass — a permit
  23. tube — the underground
  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