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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. last — finally
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pass — a permit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. last — final
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wound — an injury
  18. suit — clothes
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. root — the cause
  23. last — to go on
  24. wound — an injury

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