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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — the season
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — goods
  12. spring — of water
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. track — a song
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. season — of the year
  20. court — of law
  21. season — in sport
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. track — a path

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