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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. firm — decided
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — to trim
  9. firm — steady
  10. cap — of ice
  11. firm — a company
  12. prune — to trim
  13. craft — boats
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rash — a series
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rash — hasty
  24. craft — a handicraft

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