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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wake — a trail
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pound — a weight
  17. can — a tin
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. nail — for a hammer

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