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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a grade
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — to be able to
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — in control
  16. spell — magic
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ground — a position
  22. mark — a trace
  23. spell — letters
  24. row — to paddle

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