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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. court — of a king
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pound — a weight
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. cell — a phone
  24. season — to add flavour

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