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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 116 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. stand — to bear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. kid — child
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chip — to eat
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. cue — a signal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cue — a hint

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