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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. season — of the year
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fall — to drop
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fall — the season
  20. bound — obliged
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bound — certain
  23. season — in sport
  24. fall — to drop

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