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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. suit — to fit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cap — a lid
  8. land — a country
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a dance
  14. dip — to sink
  15. suit — in cards
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rash — hasty
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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