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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. current — electric
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. current — happening now
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — in biology
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cue — a signal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cue — a hint
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cap — a lid
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cap — of ice
  21. current — of water
  22. cue — for pool
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — in traffic

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