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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pop — music
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — to visit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stock — goods
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — shares
  15. season — of the year
  16. pit — a hole
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. pop — soda
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pit — in a race
  24. season — to add flavour

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