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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: dip · cap · track · lean · sharp · hide · fine · season

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. season — in sport
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cap — a lid
  8. track — a path
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lean — to bend
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lean — thin
  13. cap — of ice
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — a song
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fine — all right
  21. season — of the year
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lean — to rest against

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