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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 120 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — to handle
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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