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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ground — crushed
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cue — a signal
  9. season — in sport
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — of the year
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cabinet — ministers

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