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

Word bank: rest · hide · board · wind · cap · suit · rock · pit

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cap — a lid
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pit — in a race
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — a hole
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — a break
  21. board — to get on
  22. cap — a hat
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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