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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. land — ground
  4. rush — hurry
  5. court — for sport
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cold — an illness
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. court — of a king
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. court — of law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — bread

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