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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cap — a hat
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — in sport
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. net — after costs
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bank — for money
  18. net — for catching
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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