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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. file — a tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chest — of your body
  8. roll — a list
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. roll — a cake
  13. chest — a box
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. file — a document
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. file — a line of people
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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