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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. staff — employees
  3. pass — a permit
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bark — to shout
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. land — ground
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. board — a committee
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. staff — a stick
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. staff — employees
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. board — to get on

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