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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stock — shares
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cap — a lid
  9. vault — a safe
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — a skill
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. shower — rain
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. craft — boats

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