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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hand — in cards
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — in music
  11. drill — a practice
  12. current — electric
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — of water
  15. hand — help
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. current — happening now
  20. drill — army training
  21. cap — of ice
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. can — to be able to

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