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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. saw — the tool
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mate — to breed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — to bear
  12. season — in sport
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. saw — the tool

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