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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
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: nail · pit · mouse · spell · bowl · hide · tube · bark

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. spell — magic
  8. pit — in a race
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pit — a hole
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — letters

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