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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cap — a lid
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — a gift
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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