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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — government
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hand — help
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bore — to tire
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rule — to rule out

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