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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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. rock — a stone
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. race — a contest
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — money
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — to confront
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. race — humankind
  12. face — part of the head
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. race — the arms race
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wake — a trail
  21. deal — to handle
  22. face — to point toward
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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