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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a document
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. net — after costs
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. file — a tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — in sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — for catching
  24. bear — to put up with

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