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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: pit · suit · cap · ball · board · lash · toast · hide

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. toast — bread
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. board — a committee
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pit — a hole
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ball — a great time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. board — to get on
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cap — a lid
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a dance

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