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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — to paddle
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pass — a permit
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. row — a line
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ball — a dance
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — steady
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pass — to succeed

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