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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a music group
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. season — of the year
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a ring
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. hand — help
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — in sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bark — to shout
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bark — of a tree

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