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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cap — a hat
  3. march — music
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a lid
  6. net — in sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. can — to be able to
  14. march — the month
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. net — after costs
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cap — of ice
  20. net — for catching
  21. can — a tin
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. march — the month

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