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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 116 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: chip · craft · rest · ball · bowl · cap · ground · hide

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cap — of ice
  10. chip — to eat
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chip — for betting
  16. craft — boats
  17. rest — a break
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ground — a position
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ground — crushed
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. hide — to keep secret

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