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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. ground — the earth
  5. court — for sport
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ball — a great time
  13. court — of a king
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rash — a series
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ground — a position
  21. court — of law
  22. rash — hasty
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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