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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mug — a face
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. season — of the year
  7. rush — hurry
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a cup
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. season — in sport

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