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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · kick · cap · present · rock · mark

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kick — in football
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. present — a gift
  11. rock — music
  12. present — there
  13. rock — a stone
  14. present — the time now
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mark — a grade

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