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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ground — a position
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. swing — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. season — of the year
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ground — crushed
  15. swing — in golf
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pit — in a race
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. season — in sport

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