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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cue — a hint
  4. tube — a container
  5. cue — a signal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. face — to confront
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. face — part of the head
  16. tube — the underground
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — to bear

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