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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pound — a weight
  4. prune — to trim
  5. spell — magic
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. spell — a short time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — of ice
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. spell — letters
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. perch — the fish
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cap — a lid
  24. perch — for a bird

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