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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cold · calf · mouse · coach · hide · mark · pop · suit

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cold — not warm
  12. suit — to fit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. suit — in cards
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pop — to visit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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