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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. row — a line
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. chest — a box
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. chest — of your body
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — the earth
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ground — a position
  23. sharp — clever
  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