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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mark — a grade
  5. present — the time now
  6. bore — to drill
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — magic
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — a short time
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. present — there
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spell — letters
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. bore — to tire

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