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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. object — a thing
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. face — to point toward
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. face — part of the head
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. file — a document
  22. face — to confront
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. hide — to keep secret

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