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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. last — to go on
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. last — final
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. last — finally
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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