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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cap — a hat
  4. shower — rain
  5. season — of the year
  6. mug — a cup
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cap — a lid
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. cap — of ice
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. row — to paddle
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mug — a face
  22. row — a line
  23. shower — to wash
  24. season — in sport

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