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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 116 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. mate — a partner
  6. present — a gift
  7. pop — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. present — the time now
  11. mate — a friend
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. season — of the year
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — there
  17. rush — hurry
  18. can — a tin
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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