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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 120 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: suit · hide · bear · cue · mate · season · row · sharp

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. sharp — clever
  4. season — in sport
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — a line
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mate — to breed
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mate — a partner
  20. row — to paddle
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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