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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. court — of law
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — to fit
  9. court — for sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. net — for catching
  14. court — of a king
  15. net — in sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. spring — the season
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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