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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spring — the season
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. spring — of water
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. staff — employees
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mark — a grade
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — to grow
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spring — a coil

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