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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. drill — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tear — from crying
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. drill — a practice
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. deal — to handle
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. tear — from crying
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — in sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. drill — army training
  21. season — of the year
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. tear — to rip

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