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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: cold · bear · cap · mug · stand · season · saw · temple

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. season — in sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cold — an illness
  15. mug — to rob
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bear — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cold — not warm
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mug — a face
  24. season — of the year

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