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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cap — of ice
  4. race — humankind
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. current — of water
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cap — a lid
  9. current — happening now
  10. race — a contest
  11. stock — shares
  12. race — the arms race
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — electric
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stock — goods
  23. mug — a face
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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