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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.

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: deal · straw · capital · current · bear · season · hide · drill

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. capital — money
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. drill — army training
  9. current — happening now
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. current — electric
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bear — the animal
  16. season — in sport
  17. drill — the tool
  18. season — of the year
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. drill — a practice
  22. capital — a city
  23. deal — to handle
  24. current — of water

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