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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. land — ground
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. scale — in music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. land — a country
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. land — to come down
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fall — to drop
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — a horse colour

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