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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 124 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. hand — in cards
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. net — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. net — for catching
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. net — after costs
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bark — to shout
  22. hand — help
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hide — to keep secret

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