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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mug — a face
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mug — to rob
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bound — certain
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bound — obliged

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