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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bound — certain
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bound — tied together
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cap — a hat
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a lid
  18. squash — the sport
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. craft — boats
  22. bound — obliged
  23. charge — in control
  24. hide — to keep secret

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