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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. band — a music group
  4. tube — a container
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. file — a document
  10. dip — to sink
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. file — a tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. file — a line of people
  16. band — a ring
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cap — a hat

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