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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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a path
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — a song
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cue — a hint
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — to keep track

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