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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mate — a partner
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — to handle
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. cap — of ice
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. content — the amount
  15. mate — a friend
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mate — to breed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fork — in a road
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mark — a trace

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