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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. kid — to tease
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. dip — to sink
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kid — child
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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