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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ground — a position
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. ground — the earth
  10. staff — employees
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ground — crushed
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — all right
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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