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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cap — a hat
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — music
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bank — of a river
  14. craft — boats
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a trace
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rock — a stone
  23. suit — in cards
  24. craft — a skill

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