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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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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: march · toast · bore · fine · racket · fall · chair · cap

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fall — the season
  9. march — music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. cap — a lid
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. fine — high quality
  17. toast — bread
  18. bore — to drill
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fine — all right
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bore — to tire

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