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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cap — a hat
  3. drill — the tool
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. drill — army training
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. club — for dancing
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. suit — to fit
  12. roll — a cake
  13. race — a contest
  14. cap — of ice
  15. club — for golf
  16. scale — in music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. race — the arms race
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. roll — a list
  22. club — a group
  23. scale — size or range
  24. race — humankind

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