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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. charge — electricity
  5. net — for catching
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. net — in sport
  10. cap — of ice
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — in control
  16. tube — a container
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. cap — a hat
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — a cake
  21. net — after costs
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — a price
  24. bulb — for light

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