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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: rest · spell · fan · pit · cap · hide · current · drill

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rest — a break
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spell — letters
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. current — of water
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. spell — a short time
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. spell — magic
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cap — a lid
  20. current — electric
  21. drill — the tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rest — what's left

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