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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. staff — employees
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. scale — size or range
  11. staff — employees
  12. rock — a stone
  13. scale — in music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — a tin
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rock — music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. staff — a stick
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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