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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: cap · jam · degree · pitcher · can · fan · pit · key

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. degree — an amount
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. degree — from a university
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — for a lock
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a hole
  24. can — a tin

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