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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — decided
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. spell — magic
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. season — in sport
  10. sharp — clever
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — letters
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. firm — steady
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. season — of the year

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