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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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468
Word bank
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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mark — a grade
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rule — government
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mark — a trace

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