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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. swing — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. firm — steady
  10. cap — a hat
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pit — a hole
  13. firm — a company
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cap — of ice
  21. kid — child
  22. swing — to play on
  23. firm — decided
  24. nail — for a hammer

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