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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — hurry
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. kid — child
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. season — of the year
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — a thrill

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