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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.

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: hide · cap · lean · ball · racket · dip · jam · can

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cap — a hat
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cap — a lid
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. can — a tin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lean — to bend
  13. dip — to sink
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. lean — thin
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cap — of ice
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ball — a great time

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