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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: wind · cap · saw · fan · foot · track · hide · rock

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. track — a song
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. foot — a measure
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rock — a stone
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rock — music
  24. wind — moving air

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