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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rule — a law
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rule — government
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — to tire

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