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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ball — a great time
  3. row — a line
  4. bound — certain
  5. club — a group
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. row — to paddle
  9. season — of the year
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. club — for golf
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cue — a signal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ball — a dance
  24. season — in 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