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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. face — to point toward
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rule — government
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. face — to confront
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. face — part of the head
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rule — a law

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