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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · mouse · saw · field · hide · fine · season · row

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. season — of the year
  3. saw — the tool
  4. season — in sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rest — a break
  8. fine — high quality
  9. saw — the tool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. row — a line
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — a subject
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fine — all right
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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