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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cap — a hat
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cap — of ice
  7. track — a path
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cap — a lid
  20. branch — a division
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. track — to keep track
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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