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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ground — a position
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ground — crushed
  9. suit — to fit
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ground — the earth
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. sharp — clever
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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