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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. snap — to click
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stand — to bear
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. staff — employees
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mine — for digging
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. staff — a stick
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ball — a dance
  24. staff — employees

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