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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 124 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. season — in sport
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. staff — employees
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — a position
  14. staff — employees
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. staff — a stick
  17. snap — to click
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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