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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — a position
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cap — a hat
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ground — crushed
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kid — child
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kid — to tease
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — a lid
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — for money

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