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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.

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
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. land — a country
  13. fine — all right
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. fan — a supporter

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