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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — boats
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rule — a law
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. press — newspapers
  13. craft — a skill
  14. hand — help
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. press — to push
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cue — a signal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rule — to rule out

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