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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — in sport
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. last — finally
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. last — final
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. season — of the year
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. last — to go on
  16. rock — a stone
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — all right
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — music
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. saw — the tool

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