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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a city
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. drill — the tool
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. drill — army training
  19. rock — a stone
  20. drill — a practice
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — music
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fan — to cool the air

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