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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bass — the fish
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. last — final
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. last — to go on
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. last — finally
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bass — low music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. vault — a safe

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