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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stand — to bear
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. prune — to trim
  7. tube — a container
  8. cue — a signal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — for pool
  17. toast — bread
  18. kid — child
  19. season — in sport
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cue — a hint
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. season — of the year

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