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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. object — a thing
  3. staff — employees
  4. scale — in music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cold — an illness
  12. staff — a stick
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. hand — help
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. cold — not warm

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