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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rock — music
  8. clip — a video
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. charge — electricity
  13. track — a song
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. charge — in control
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — a stone
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — a price
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — to cut

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