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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. land — a country
  3. club — for dancing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bound — tied together
  6. land — to come down
  7. charge — a price
  8. kid — to tease
  9. charge — in control
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. club — for golf
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bound — certain
  17. land — ground
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. sharp — clever
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. charge — electricity
  23. club — a group
  24. kid — child

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