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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fine — high quality
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. race — a contest
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cap — a lid
  8. race — the arms race
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. degree — temperature
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — of water
  15. degree — an amount
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. fine — all right
  19. current — happening now
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — humankind
  22. degree — from a university
  23. current — electric
  24. cap — of ice

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