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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — a contest
  6. hand — help
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mug — a face
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. race — humankind
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — completely
  24. race — the arms race

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