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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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Word bank
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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. key — for a lock
  14. scale — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — letters
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. key — in music
  23. can — a tin
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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