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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. tear — to rip
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. toast — bread
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — a face
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. tear — from crying
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tear — from crying
  19. season — in sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cap — a lid
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mouse — for a computer

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