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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.

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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: cap · trunk · game · stand · hide · deal · chest · suit

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. chest — a box
  3. cap — of ice
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cap — a hat
  8. game — a match
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. chest — of your body
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chest — of your body
  20. deal — to handle
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. trunk — of a tree

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