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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cue — for pool
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cue — a signal
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cue — a hint

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