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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. net — for catching
  8. can — to be able to
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ball — a dance
  17. can — a tin
  18. chair — a professorship

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