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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. season — in sport
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mug — a face
  7. rash — a series
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bore — to tire
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bore — to drill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — of the year
  24. hide — to keep secret

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