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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. key — the most important part
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hand — help
  5. season — of the year
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pop — music
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — in cards
  19. season — in sport
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pop — soda
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. present — there

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