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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. season — of the year
  3. press — to push
  4. season — in sport
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mate — a partner
  13. press — a publisher
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. press — newspapers
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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