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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rash — a series
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cold — not warm
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cold — an illness
  12. press — newspapers
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. foot — a measure
  15. season — of the year
  16. rash — hasty
  17. press — a publisher
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. press — to push
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. season — in sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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