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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. scale — in music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pop — soda
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. scale — size or range
  11. craft — boats
  12. pop — to visit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mug — a face
  16. fall — the season
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pop — music
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mug — a cup

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