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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rush — hurry
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. court — of a king
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. court — for sport
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. court — of law

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