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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. rule — government
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rule — a law
  14. season — in sport
  15. bat — the animal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. season — of the year
  19. wax — to grow
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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