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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. date — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to click
  17. bound — tied together
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bound — certain
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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