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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — the underground
  15. content — happy
  16. content — the amount
  17. tube — a container
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bore — to drill

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