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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. staff — employees
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. staff — employees
  15. mate — to breed
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. court — of law
  21. rush — hurry
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hide — to keep secret

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