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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cold — not warm
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. cold — an illness
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — of the year
  9. rock — music
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cue — a hint
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mug — a face
  19. suit — in cards
  20. branch — a division
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mug — a cup

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