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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. kid — to tease
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. craft — a skill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. can — a tin
  8. kid — child
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. pop — soda
  16. craft — boats
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. ruler — a monarch

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