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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. roll — a list
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. season — in sport
  9. club — for dancing
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — low music
  17. roll — a cake
  18. season — of the year
  19. bass — the fish
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. coach — a trainer

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