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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chest — a box
  7. tube — a container
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. land — ground
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to click
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. chest — of your body
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — to fit
  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