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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: squash · pound · fine · object · trunk · mark · cap · content

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. content — the amount
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. object — to protest
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mark — a grade
  11. object — a thing
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. object — an aim
  22. content — happy
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. content — videos and posts

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