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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ground — crushed
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. suit — to fit
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ground — the earth
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — in sport
  19. lie — to recline
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ground — a position
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — a garden tool

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