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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: hide · hand · dip · firm · perch · rock · ball · cap

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. firm — steady
  6. rock — a stone
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cap — a lid
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rock — music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cap — of ice
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. firm — decided
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. dip — a sauce

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