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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. face — to confront
  4. hand — help
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. face — part of the head
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pop — to visit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cap — a hat
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pop — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pop — soda
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hand — in cards
  24. cap — of ice

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