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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fall — to drop
  3. swing — to play on
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fall — to drop
  7. drill — army training
  8. board — a committee
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fall — the season
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. drill — a practice
  13. swing — music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cap — a lid
  17. can — a tin
  18. drill — the tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fine — all right
  21. suit — in cards
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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