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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.

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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: cap · can · pit · bound · spell · kid · last · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cap — a lid
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bound — certain
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kid — child
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. last — finally
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. spell — magic
  16. kid — to tease
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. last — final
  20. cap — of ice
  21. can — to be able to
  22. spell — letters
  23. pit — in a race
  24. last — to go on

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