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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mine — for digging
  5. suit — in cards
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a great time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rule — a law
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rule — government
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mine — an explosive
  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