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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: clip · can · mark · hide · pitch · bark · cap · wound

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. clip — to cut
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a grade
  8. can — a tin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bark — to shout
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — a video
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — an injury

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