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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 120 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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. tube — the underground
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — a price
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mark — a trace
  16. tube — a container
  17. net — for catching
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. root — the cause
  20. net — after costs
  21. root — of a word
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. net — in sport
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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