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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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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: dip · rock · row · hide · present · net · wound · season

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. net — for catching
  3. row — a line
  4. present — a gift
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. present — there
  7. net — in sport
  8. wound — an injury
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wound — an injury
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rock — music
  17. present — the time now
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. rock — a stone
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — of the year
  24. dip — a sauce

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