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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. present — there
  4. capital — a city
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — the amount
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rest — a break
  11. capital — money
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lie — to recline
  15. club — for golf
  16. season — of the year
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. content — happy
  22. present — a gift
  23. season — in sport
  24. capital — a big letter

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