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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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. fork — to eat with
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. land — ground
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. race — a contest
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — in control
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. charge — electricity
  13. race — the arms race
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. land — a country
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. land — to come down
  19. fork — in a road
  20. charge — a price
  21. race — humankind
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fork — a garden tool

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