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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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. present — a gift
  4. charge — a price
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. track — a path
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. track — to keep track
  17. present — the time now
  18. tube — a container
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tube — the underground
  21. charge — in control
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. present — there

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