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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — there
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. present — a gift
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. present — the time now
  12. cap — of ice
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. dip — to sink
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rash — a series
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. suit — in cards
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. suit — clothes
  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