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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. hand — in cards
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. hand — help
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. content — the amount
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. mug — a cup
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rash — hasty
  19. content — happy
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rash — a series
  24. hide — to keep secret

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