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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. pass — to spend time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — ground
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. current — electric
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. current — of water
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wax — to grow
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. hand — help
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mark — a trace

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