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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. kid — child
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rock — music

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