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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. present — a gift
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. swing — in golf
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bear — the animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. swing — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. swing — to play on
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — the time now
  20. race — humankind
  21. bear — the animal
  22. squash — the sport
  23. present — there
  24. race — a contest

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