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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rash — hasty
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — electricity
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. perch — the fish
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — a price
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cue — for pool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rash — a series
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bowl — a football final

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