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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. present — a gift
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. ground — a position
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — to fit
  13. present — the time now
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ground — the earth
  18. present — there
  19. board — to get on
  20. season — in sport
  21. ground — crushed
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. board — a committee

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