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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. scale — in music
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to drill
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. hand — help
  20. rush — hurry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — for money

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