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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stand — to bear
  10. degree — from a university
  11. club — a group
  12. track — a path
  13. degree — an amount
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. club — for dancing
  16. degree — temperature
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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