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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · rule · track · saw · coach · toast · wind · can

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. track — a song
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. can — a tin
  5. wind — moving air
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — a path
  13. toast — bread
  14. track — to keep track
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — to be able to
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rule — government
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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