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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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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — in control
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — electricity
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wind — moving air
  18. charge — a price
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cap — of ice
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rush — hurry
  24. hide — to keep secret

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