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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — in music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. cap — of ice
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bound — obliged
  17. kid — child
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cap — a lid
  20. root — of a plant
  21. charge — in control
  22. bound — tied together
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bound — certain

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