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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. swing — to play on
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. swing — music
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pitch — completely
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. drill — the tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bound — certain
  22. drill — army training
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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