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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a dance
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ball — a great time
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. game — a match

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