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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 120 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cap — a hat
  5. present — there
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pop — music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rule — a law
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cap — of ice
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pop — soda
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. race — the arms race
  19. present — a gift
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. race — humankind
  22. lean — thin
  23. race — a contest
  24. present — the time now

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