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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mug — to rob
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. charge — electricity
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — a cup
  16. charge — in control
  17. band — a ring
  18. charge — a price
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. band — a music group
  22. mug — a face
  23. bear — the animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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