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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. board — to get on
  6. cap — a lid
  7. net — after costs
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. board — a committee
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. net — in sport
  19. cap — a hat
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. net — for catching

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