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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. current — of water
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bound — tied together
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bound — certain
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — electric
  21. cap — of ice
  22. current — happening now
  23. toast — bread
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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