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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.

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: roll · dip · straw · firm · kick · season · hide · leaves

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — in sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. firm — decided
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. dip — to sink
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. roll — a list
  19. kick — in football
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. roll — a cake
  22. season — of the year
  23. firm — steady
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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