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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cap — of ice
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. kid — child
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. swing — music
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cap — a hat
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. swing — to play on
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. toast — bread
  18. pass — a permit
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pound — a weight
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. toast — the most admired

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