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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 120 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. swing — in golf
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — to play on
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stock — shares
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. swing — music
  19. tube — a container
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — in a road
  24. hide — to keep secret

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