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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. row — a line
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ball — a dance

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