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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mug — a face
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mug — to rob
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. swing — in golf
  14. cap — a lid
  15. swing — music
  16. cap — of ice
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. row — to paddle
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — to go away

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