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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. file — a document
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cap — of ice
  6. last — final
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a line of people
  13. dip — to sink
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. last — to go on
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pitch — completely
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. last — finally
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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