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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 124 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. current — happening now
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. foot — a measure
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. tube — a container
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. tube — the underground

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