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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. craft — boats
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — the season
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ground — a position
  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