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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mine — for digging
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. chest — a box
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. season — in sport
  17. mug — a face
  18. season — of the year
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mug — to rob
  22. chest — of your body
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. chest — of your body

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