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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — a hole
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cap — a hat
  16. chair — a leader
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cap — a lid
  23. season — in sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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