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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. season — in sport
  6. mug — a face
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. kick — in football
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rest — what's left
  18. season — of the year
  19. hand — help
  20. mug — a cup
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mug — to rob
  23. kick — with a leg
  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