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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. board — a committee
  3. scale — size or range
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cap — of ice
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cell — a phone
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pit — in a race
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cap — a hat
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — in cards

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