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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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468
Word bank
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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. can — a tin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mug — to rob
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cold — an illness
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. mug — a face
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. can — to be able to
  23. season — in sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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