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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — the time now
  3. season — in sport
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. suit — in cards
  7. net — in sport
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. suit — to fit
  10. net — after costs
  11. suit — clothes
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — bread
  21. net — for catching
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. season — of the year
  24. capital — a big letter

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