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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ground — crushed
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. march — the month
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ground — the earth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ground — a position
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pitch — completely
  24. sharp — exactly

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