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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. season — in sport
  8. charge — in control
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — a price
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — of the year
  19. can — to be able to
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. dip — to sink
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — a sauce
  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