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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fork — in a road
  5. track — a path
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. track — a song
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cap — of ice
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fork — to eat with

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