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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. degree — temperature
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. can — a tin
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. season — in sport
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. degree — from a university
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. season — of the year
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. degree — an amount
  24. safe — a strongbox

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