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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 120 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. firm — a company
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — a cup
  8. firm — steady
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. degree — from a university
  17. firm — decided
  18. degree — temperature
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. degree — an amount
  24. mug — a face

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