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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bound — certain
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bound — tied together
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bound — obliged
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fine — all right

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