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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cap — a hat
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. date — the fruit
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mark — a grade

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