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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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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. board — a committee
  5. mate — to breed
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — electric
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. board — to get on
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mate — a friend
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. current — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. current — happening now
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. band — a music group
  19. cap — a lid
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cap — a hat
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. band — a ring

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