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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. key — in music
  7. last — final
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. last — to go on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. last — finally
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stock — shares

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