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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 · hide · rush · plane · stock · leaves · rock · cap

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rush — hurry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rock — music
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stock — shares
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rush — a thrill

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