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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. season — of the year
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. face — to confront
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rock — music
  18. season — in sport
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mine — for digging

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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