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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. last — finally
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bark — to shout
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. current — of water
  11. club — a group
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. club — for golf
  15. suit — to fit
  16. last — final
  17. current — electric
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — happening now
  20. last — to go on
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. chair — a leader
  24. suit — in cards

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