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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. shower — rain
  13. face — to confront
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rule — government
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cap — of ice
  21. charge — a price
  22. rule — a law
  23. charge — in control
  24. face — to point toward

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