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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — in control
  8. track — a song
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. season — of the year
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — a price
  22. season — in sport
  23. charge — electricity
  24. coach — a trainer

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