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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — to rob
  4. court — for sport
  5. last — final
  6. mug — a cup
  7. court — of a king
  8. game — a match
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. last — finally
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. last — to go on
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pass — a permit
  24. court — of law

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