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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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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. field — a subject
  4. dip — to sink
  5. march — music
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. march — the month
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pound — a weight
  14. deal — to handle
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. field — for sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. field — farmland
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. season — in sport
  24. march — the month

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