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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cap — of ice
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cap — a hat
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stand — to bear
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. cap — a lid
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — a hole
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. current — happening now
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. date — the fruit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — on your feet

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