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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. object — to protest
  3. cap — of ice
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cap — a lid
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. degree — temperature
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. object — a thing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bore — to drill
  19. present — a gift
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. track — a song
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. object — an aim

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