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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. degree — an amount
  3. drill — a practice
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mark — a grade
  7. roll — a list
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fine — high quality
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. can — a tin
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fine — all right
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. drill — army training
  22. can — to be able to
  23. degree — temperature
  24. cap — of ice

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