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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fine — high quality
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. squash — the sport
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fine — all right
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. squash — to crush
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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