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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 116 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pitch — completely
  3. charge — in control
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cap — of ice
  9. craft — a skill
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pound — a weight
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. shower — rain
  22. charge — a price
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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