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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. spring — a coil
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mug — to rob
  7. net — after costs
  8. track — a path
  9. object — an aim
  10. mug — a face
  11. spring — the season
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. object — a thing
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spring — of water
  19. net — for catching
  20. deal — to handle
  21. object — to protest
  22. mug — a cup
  23. track — a song
  24. net — in sport

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