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

Word bank: arm · rest · object · pit · cap · saw · bear · rush

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. object — an aim
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rest — a break
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. object — to protest
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rest — what's left
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rest — what's left
  24. object — a thing

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