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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wake — a trail
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — of ice
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. mug — to rob
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mug — a face
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — to keep track
  21. charge — a price
  22. track — a path
  23. wave — of the sea
  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