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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. track — a song
  3. board — to get on
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. net — after costs
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cap — of ice
  8. swing — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cap — a hat
  12. swing — in golf
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a committee
  17. net — in sport
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cap — a lid
  21. net — for catching
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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