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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — to bear
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mate — a partner
  9. drill — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mate — to breed
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kick — in football
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a friend
  17. suit — in cards
  18. drill — army training
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. suit — clothes

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