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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. present — there
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. present — the time now
  6. wake — a trail
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. present — a gift
  10. file — a line of people
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. file — a document
  16. dip — to sink
  17. file — a tool
  18. leaves — lets stay

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