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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. file — a document
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. row — a line
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. file — a line of people
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bear — the animal
  23. file — a tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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