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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. net — for catching
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. net — after costs
  8. spell — a short time
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. season — of the year
  15. net — in sport
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rock — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. spell — magic
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. prune — to trim

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