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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. degree — temperature
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bore — to tire
  7. race — a contest
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cap — a hat
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. degree — an amount
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. race — humankind
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — a tin

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