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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. drill — army training
  7. season — of the year
  8. press — to push
  9. dip — to sink
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. drill — the tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. season — in sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hand — in cards
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bear — the animal
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bowl — to roll

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