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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rock — a stone
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rule — government
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rule — a law
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rock — music
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. hide — to keep secret

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