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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. row — a line
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. land — to come down
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — a stone
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lie — to recline
  18. can — to be able to
  19. land — a country
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. land — ground

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