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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 116 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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. object — an aim
  5. present — the time now
  6. cold — an illness
  7. degree — from a university
  8. present — a gift
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cap — a hat
  13. object — a thing
  14. cap — of ice
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bear — the animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. present — there

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