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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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Word bank
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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. race — the arms race
  9. band — a ring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a city
  13. race — a contest
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wind — moving air
  16. capital — money
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. race — humankind
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wind — moving air

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