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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 124 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. cap — a lid
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bound — obliged
  5. season — of the year
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pop — to visit
  17. scale — in music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pop — music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bound — certain
  23. calf — of the leg
  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