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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. band — a ring
  6. cap — a hat
  7. band — a music group
  8. fall — to drop
  9. roll — a list
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fine — all right
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fall — the season
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cap — of ice
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fine — high quality

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