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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 116 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. drill — the tool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. charge — in control
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. drill — a practice
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. charge — a price
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. drill — army training
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hide — to keep secret

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