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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tear — to rip
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — of the year
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — a company
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. tear — from crying
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. season — in sport
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rush — hurry
  24. racket — a loud noise

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