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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cue — a signal
  3. club — for dancing
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. cap — of ice
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — for betting
  21. can — to be able to
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. can — a tin

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