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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: calf · bulb · cap · wake · mark · hide · bat · deal

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. deal — to handle
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wake — a trail
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cap — a hat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cap — a lid

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