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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bore — to drill
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bank — for money
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bank — for money
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — in music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — of a river
  17. key — the most important part
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. land — a country
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. can — to be able to
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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