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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cap — of ice
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — help
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stock — goods
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. present — there
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stock — shares
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. present — a gift
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — the time now
  24. hand — part of the body

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