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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. charge — in control
  4. season — in sport
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. chest — of your body
  8. lean — thin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chest — a box
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. perch — the fish
  17. season — of the year
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chest — of your body

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