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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ground — the earth
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. track — a path
  10. ground — a position
  11. rock — music
  12. hand — help
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ground — crushed
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. track — a song
  18. ball — a great time
  19. suit — in cards
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hand — in cards
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. hand — part of the body

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