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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. season — in sport
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. season — of the year
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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