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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.

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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: bear · suit · lie · racket · hide · mark · chip · nail

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — clothes
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mark — a grade
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — a trace

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