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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — for sport
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bulb — for light
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. press — a publisher
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — of a king
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — for light
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. press — newspapers
  19. court — of law
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. shower — rain
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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