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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pitch — completely
  4. club — a group
  5. cue — for pool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. cue — a hint
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. drill — army training
  19. ball — a dance
  20. club — for golf
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cold — an illness
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. leaves — of a tree

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