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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. charge — electricity
  4. can — a tin
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. kid — child
  7. charge — a price
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — in control
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kid — to tease
  13. swing — to play on
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. swing — music
  20. can — a tin
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. swing — in golf
  24. net — for catching

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