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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cap — a hat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. shower — to wash
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. cap — a lid
  10. shower — rain
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cap — of ice
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fan — to cool the air

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