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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 116 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. club — a group
  5. stand — to bear
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. hand — help
  10. sharp — clever
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fall — to drop
  14. club — for golf
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fall — the season
  24. hand — in cards

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