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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. cap — of ice
  6. present — there
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — the time now
  13. sharp — clever
  14. object — to protest
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. game — wild animals
  17. present — a gift
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rush — hurry
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. game — a match

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