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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cold — not warm
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. firm — decided
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cap — a hat
  17. firm — steady
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bass — low music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. leaves — lets stay

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