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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. last — to go on
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — all right
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. last — final
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — in cards
  18. last — finally

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