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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 116 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fine — all right
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mine — for digging
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. kick — in football
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pitch — completely
  18. face — to confront
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. staff — a stick
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fine — high quality
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fine — a penalty

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