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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — a hat
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mine — for digging
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bass — the fish
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cap — a lid
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — low music
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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