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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  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. season — of the year
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. drill — army training
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cell — in biology
  6. season — in sport
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. drill — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. roll — a cake
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. roll — a list
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. drill — a practice
  23. season — to add flavour
  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