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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cell — a phone
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. chip — to eat
  23. toast — bread
  24. hide — animal skin

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