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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. band — a music group
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. band — a ring
  10. foot — a measure
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. cap — a lid

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