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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. last — final
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — to bear
  17. last — finally
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. last — to go on
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — a horse colour

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