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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. court — of a king
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. season — of the year
  6. rock — a stone
  7. season — in sport
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. court — of law
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rock — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. court — for sport

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