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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wind — moving air
  3. present — a gift
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cap — a lid
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. suit — clothes
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wind — moving air
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. present — there
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — in cards
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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