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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chest — of your body
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. club — a group
  8. cap — of ice
  9. chest — of your body
  10. can — to be able to
  11. club — for golf
  12. cap — a hat
  13. can — a tin
  14. last — final
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cap — a lid
  18. can — a tin
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitch — completely
  21. suit — in cards
  22. club — for dancing
  23. chest — a box
  24. hide — animal skin

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