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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mug — a cup
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — a face
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wind — moving air
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rock — music
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. shower — to wash
  24. deal — an agreement

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