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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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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: present · snap · board · hide · last · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. present — there
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. snap — to click
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — the time now
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. present — a gift
  17. last — to go on
  18. board — to get on

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