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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · snap · foot · cue · season · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — of the year
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cue — for pool
  10. foot — a measure
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cue — a signal
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. snap — to click
  17. season — in sport
  18. cue — a hint

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