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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. track — to keep track
  3. can — to be able to
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. track — a song
  10. pop — soda
  11. shower — to wash
  12. cap — of ice
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cap — a lid
  19. toast — bread
  20. track — a path
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — the most admired

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