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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rush — hurry
  8. present — there
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. present — the time now
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. present — a gift
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. bulb — for light

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