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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — to fit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bank — of a river

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