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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 116 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: spring · craft · season · ball · wind · cap · rush · calf

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. season — in sport
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spring — of water
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wind — moving air
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — a coil
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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