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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cap — a hat
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cap — of ice
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. date — the fruit
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. staff — employees
  17. cap — a lid
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. staff — a stick
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mouse — for a computer

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