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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 120 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. prune — to trim
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rest — a break
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chip — to eat
  24. deal — a big deal

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