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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. track — to keep track
  5. can — a tin
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. track — a path
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bound — tied together
  14. club — for golf
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. track — a song
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bound — certain

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