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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fork — in a road
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. court — for sport
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cap — of ice
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. prune — to trim
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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