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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. spell — letters
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spell — a short time
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. spell — magic
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. land — ground
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — to get on
  24. patient — a sick person

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