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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. land — a country
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bore — to tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — a container
  13. land — to come down
  14. suit — to fit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. land — ground
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bore — to drill

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