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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. degree — from a university
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rest — what's left
  14. degree — temperature
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. hand — help
  22. degree — an amount
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mouse — the animal

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