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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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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. scale — size or range
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. face — to confront
  10. suit — to fit
  11. scale — in music
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — to keep secret

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