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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. staff — a stick
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chest — a box
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chest — of your body
  16. season — of the year
  17. bore — to drill
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — in sport
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chest — of your body
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — out of danger

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