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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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Word bank
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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: fine · season · bay · cue · bear · race · current · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. race — a contest
  5. current — electric
  6. cue — a hint
  7. current — happening now
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fine — all right
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. season — in sport
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cap — of ice
  20. season — of the year
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fine — high quality
  24. race — humankind

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