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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 120 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mate — to breed
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mug — a face
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. track — a song
  14. mate — a friend
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. deal — to handle
  21. track — a path
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bound — certain
  24. deal — a big deal

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