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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a music group
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — the season
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stock — goods
  17. band — a ring
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bore — to drill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bore — to tire
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fall — to drop

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