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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ground — a position
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. suit — in cards
  9. branch — a division
  10. race — the arms race
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chest — a box
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ground — crushed
  20. suit — to fit
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — a contest
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cap — a lid

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