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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. file — a tool
  4. squash — to crush
  5. club — for golf
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — a break
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — what's left
  10. club — for dancing
  11. file — a document
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rest — what's left
  15. file — a line of people
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. club — a group
  19. squash — the sport
  20. suit — to fit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. suit — clothes

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