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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. root — the cause
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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