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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rest · hide · firm · fan · bat · mark · leaves · nail

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mark — a trace
  7. firm — a company
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — steady
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. firm — decided
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rest — a break
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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