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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's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bank — of a river
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cap — of ice
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — in music
  9. cap — a lid
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — size or range
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — army training
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. shower — rain
  23. drill — a practice
  24. chip — for betting

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