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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. track — a path
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. present — the time now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. present — there
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. track — a song
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pitch — completely
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — a gift
  24. snap — to click

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