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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mark — a trace
  3. spell — magic
  4. band — a music group
  5. mark — a grade
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. deal — to handle
  9. spell — letters
  10. press — to push
  11. band — a ring
  12. cap — a lid
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. press — newspapers
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rash — a series
  24. cap — of ice

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