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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. foot — a measure
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. present — the time now
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lean — to bend
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. ball — a great time
  13. present — a gift
  14. rule — government
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rule — a law
  17. ball — a dance
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. present — there
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. foot — part of the 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