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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. spell — letters
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. race — the arms race
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — magic
  7. net — for catching
  8. can — a tin
  9. cap — a hat
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. race — humankind
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cap — a lid
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — in sport
  18. suit — clothes
  19. can — to be able to
  20. suit — to fit
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. net — after costs
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. race — a contest

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