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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. season — of the year
  6. drill — a practice
  7. court — of a king
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — clever
  10. court — for sport
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. court — of law
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. sharp — exactly

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