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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. clip — to cut
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stand — to bear
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. season — of the year
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. clip — a video
  14. season — in sport
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. clip — for paper
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — to fit

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