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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bulb — for light
  7. can — a tin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a great time
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bear — the animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. can — a tin

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