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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. branch — a division
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. snap — to click
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — clothes
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cap — of ice
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. can — a tin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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