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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cap — a lid
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. press — to push
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — government
  13. press — a publisher
  14. sharp — clever
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cap — of ice
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — a law
  24. sharp — with an edge

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