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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — a stone
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lean — thin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. face — to confront
  10. rock — music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fork — to eat with

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