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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: can · clip · mark · bowl · hide · cap · current · present

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. clip — a video
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. current — electric
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. present — the time now
  13. can — a tin
  14. clip — for paper
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. current — happening now
  18. clip — to cut
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — of water
  21. present — there
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — a gift

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