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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. season — of the year
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. press — to push
  24. cold — not warm

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