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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. tube — the underground
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a trace
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — a container
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bark — to shout
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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