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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. kick — in football
  5. mug — to rob
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. board — a committee
  13. mug — a face
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bound — tied together
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a cup
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. press — to push
  24. board — to get on

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