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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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kid — to tease
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. club — a group
  6. present — there
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. club — for dancing
  10. court — of law
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bear — the animal
  14. present — a gift
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. club — for golf
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. present — the time now
  23. kid — child
  24. bear — the animal

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