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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lie — to recline
  14. race — humankind
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. race — a contest
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bulb — of a plant

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