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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. last — finally
  3. kick — in football
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. suit — clothes
  7. land — to come down
  8. ball — a great time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. last — to go on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cap — a hat
  16. land — ground
  17. rock — music
  18. bound — tied together
  19. last — final
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. land — a country
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kick — a thrill

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