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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rash — a series
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. degree — an amount
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rock — a stone
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. degree — temperature
  18. rock — music

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