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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. squash — the sport
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — of the year
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. season — in sport
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wake — a trail
  24. hide — to keep secret

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