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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. current — happening now
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mark — a grade
  14. staff — a stick
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. current — of water
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. current — electric
  19. staff — employees
  20. hand — help
  21. prune — to trim
  22. staff — employees
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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