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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 120 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mate — to breed
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — to sink
  12. deal — to handle
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bat — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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