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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. swing — in golf
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. foot — a measure
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. swing — music
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. roll — a cake
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. swing — to play on
  20. roll — a list
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. prune — to trim

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