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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. drill — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — to be able to
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bank — for money
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. degree — from a university
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bank — of a river
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. degree — an amount
  20. can — a tin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chip — to eat

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