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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — a lid
  6. can — to be able to
  7. roll — a list
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. degree — an amount
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cap — of ice
  16. can — a tin
  17. degree — from a university
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bay — a horse colour

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