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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 124 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. last — final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. last — finally
  8. cap — a hat
  9. board — a committee
  10. cap — of ice
  11. suit — to fit
  12. last — to go on
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hide — animal skin

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