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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. object — an aim
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stand — to bear
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. object — a thing
  14. squash — to crush
  15. object — to protest
  16. squash — the sport
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. sharp — exactly

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