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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. firm — a company
  6. tube — a container
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — decided
  9. rule — a law
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. court — of law
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rule — government
  23. wound — an injury
  24. suit — in cards

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