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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — a face
  9. key — for a lock
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. chip — to eat
  13. cap — a hat
  14. craft — boats
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bulb — for light
  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