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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. snap — to click
  4. board — a committee
  5. club — a group
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kid — to tease
  9. ground — a position
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kid — child
  13. tube — the underground
  14. club — for dancing
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — to get on
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ground — crushed
  21. club — for golf
  22. tube — a container
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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