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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. club — for golf
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cap — a lid
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. can — a tin
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fall — the season

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