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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fork — in a road
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mate — to breed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mate — a friend
  18. season — in sport
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. season — of the year
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mine — belonging to me

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