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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fork — in a road
  3. tube — a container
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. perch — the fish
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mine — for digging
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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