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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stand — to bear
  3. can — to be able to
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. season — of the year
  10. saw — the tool
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. date — the fruit
  16. lie — to recline
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. can — a tin
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — on your feet

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