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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rock — a stone
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. track — a song
  5. cap — a lid
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cap — a hat
  9. lie — to recline
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. perch — the fish
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rock — music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. track — to keep track
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. track — a path

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