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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. key — in music
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — for money
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cap — a hat

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