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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. firm — a company
  3. ground — the earth
  4. firm — decided
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cell — a phone
  9. ground — a position
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a face
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bear — the animal
  24. firm — steady

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