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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bore — to drill
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ground — a position
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bore — gave birth

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