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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. face — to point toward
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bark — to shout
  9. season — in sport
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. face — part of the head
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to confront
  19. season — of the year
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. hide — animal skin

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