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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. tube — a container
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stock — goods
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bound — certain
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cap — of ice
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stock — shares
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bound — tied together

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