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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · racket · present · swing · last · cap

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. cap — a hat
  4. last — to go on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. cap — a lid
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. swing — to play on
  9. present — there
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. swing — music
  12. last — finally
  13. cap — of ice
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. last — final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret

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