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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: nail · stand · wax · cap · dip · row · mate · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cap — a lid
  3. row — a line
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mate — a friend
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mate — a partner
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stand — for spectators

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