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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cap · hide · court · charge · sharp · pit · leaves · mouse

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. court — of law
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cap — a lid
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cap — of ice
  11. charge — in control
  12. pit — in a race
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. court — of a king
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. charge — electricity
  21. court — for sport
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — a price
  24. mouse — the animal

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