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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. can — to be able to
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. staff — employees
  5. game — a match
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. staff — a stick
  8. net — in sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. toast — bread
  12. net — for catching
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bore — to drill
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. net — after costs
  22. cap — a hat
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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