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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. degree — an amount
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. staff — employees
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. degree — temperature
  14. rash — a series
  15. toast — bread
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. degree — from a university
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mouse — for a computer

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