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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spring — the season
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cue — a signal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cold — not warm
  7. season — in sport
  8. spring — of water
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — of the year
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cold — an illness
  15. spring — a coil
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cue — for pool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. cue — a hint
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. arm — part of the body

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