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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — hurry
  5. season — in sport
  6. stand — to bear
  7. squash — the sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. squash — to crush
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — of the year
  24. tube — a container

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