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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cap — of ice
  3. scale — in music
  4. current — happening now
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. suit — to fit
  8. last — to go on
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. can — to be able to
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. can — a tin
  16. kick — in football
  17. cap — a lid
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cap — a hat
  21. suit — in cards
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. last — final

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