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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. net — in sport
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. net — for catching
  6. race — a contest
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rock — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. race — the arms race
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — a weight
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. race — humankind
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. net — after costs
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rock — to move gently

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