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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. season — of the year
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. face — to point toward
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. face — part of the head
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. face — to confront
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour

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