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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cap — a hat
  6. kick — in football
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitch — completely
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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