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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. shower — rain
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bark — to shout
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fine — high quality

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