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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 120 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — a weight
  5. band — a ring
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. present — a gift
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. band — a music group
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cap — a lid
  16. present — there
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. present — the time now
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cap — of ice
  23. plane — a tool
  24. suit — to fit

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