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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. snap — to click
  7. pit — in a race
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pit — a hole
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bore — to tire

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