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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wake — a trail
  8. suit — to fit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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