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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. tube — a container
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. suit — to fit

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