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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. ball — a dance
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bound — tied together
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — not warm
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bound — certain
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bound — obliged
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. staff — employees
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. staff — a stick

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