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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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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. toast — bread
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rash — a series
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. season — in sport
  18. leaves — to go away

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