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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pass — a permit
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. present — there
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. season — in sport
  10. plane — a tool
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — a subject
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. field — farmland
  19. present — the time now
  20. pit — in a race
  21. season — of the year
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pit — a hole
  24. present — a gift

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