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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. firm — decided
  4. pound — a weight
  5. scale — in music
  6. net — in sport
  7. firm — a company
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — steady
  12. craft — a skill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. scale — size or range
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. net — after costs
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. net — for catching
  24. cap — a lid

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