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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mug — a cup
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. season — of the year
  7. key — in music
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. march — the month
  11. key — for a lock
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. shower — rain
  16. pit — a hole
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. content — the amount
  19. march — the month
  20. key — the most important part
  21. season — in sport
  22. mug — to rob
  23. march — music
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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