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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. current — happening now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — to trim
  11. last — final
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rest — a break
  14. current — electric
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rest — what's left
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ball — a great time
  20. current — of water
  21. last — to go on
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. last — finally
  24. prune — to trim

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