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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — a gift
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. pitch — completely
  6. present — the time now
  7. wind — moving air
  8. scale — in music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. spell — magic
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spell — letters
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. present — there

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