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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. squash — to crush
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. lean — thin
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. track — to keep track
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. track — a song
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. sharp — clever
  24. track — a path

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