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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. last — finally
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. last — to go on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. firm — a company
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. last — final
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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