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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. present — there
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. craft — boats
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. present — the time now
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bore — to drill
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. board — to get on
  17. cue — for pool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. present — a gift
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a skill
  22. board — a committee
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. tube — a container

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