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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · bowl · cap · trunk · object · clip · mug · spring

  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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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. trunk — of a car
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — to rob
  8. clip — a video
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. clip — for paper
  11. spring — a coil
  12. object — a thing
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. present — a gift
  15. object — to protest
  16. present — there
  17. spring — the season
  18. mug — a cup
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. present — the time now
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mug — a face
  24. spring — of water

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