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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 120 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wind — moving air
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. suit — in cards
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wind — moving air
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wound — an injury
  24. suit — to fit

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