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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hand — in cards
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pass — a permit
  9. charge — a price
  10. toast — bread
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. hand — help
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pass — to spend time

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