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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. suit — to fit
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rush — hurry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. kid — child

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