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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. drill — a practice
  5. kick — in football
  6. capital — a city
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stock — goods
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — shares
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. capital — money
  19. cue — a hint
  20. saw — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. drill — the tool
  24. capital — a big letter

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