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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. plane — a tool
  3. season — in sport
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rest — a break
  7. bound — obliged
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rest — what's left
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — of ice
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bowl — a football final

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