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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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ground — a position
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bowl — to roll
  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