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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chest — of your body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. date — the fruit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chest — a box
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality

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