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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. tube — a container
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. branch — a division
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — the underground
  24. perch — the fish

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