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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: hide · game · lean · cold · suit · deal · cap · craft

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a match
  7. suit — in cards
  8. deal — to handle
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cap — of ice
  11. lean — to bend
  12. game — wild animals
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cold — not warm
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cap — a hat
  22. lean — thin
  23. craft — boats
  24. cold — an illness

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