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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. club — for golf
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cap — a hat
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. club — for dancing
  9. band — a music group
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. object — to protest
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. object — an aim
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stand — to bear
  21. object — a thing
  22. band — a ring
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. club — a group

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