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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ground — a position
  5. mate — a friend
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mate — to breed
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — a container
  24. wave — with your hand

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