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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: lie · rule · cap · present · mark · patient · shower · firm

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cap — a lid
  8. rule — government
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. present — the time now
  12. lie — to recline
  13. present — there
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. firm — steady
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — decided
  22. rule — a law
  23. shower — rain
  24. present — a gift

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