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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rock — a stone
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stock — shares
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. shower — rain
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. saw — the tool
  14. face — to confront
  15. rock — music
  16. stock — goods
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. branch — a division
  20. deal — to handle
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. saw — the tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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