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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: shower · track · squash · nail · scale · bowl · bear · hide

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. scale — in music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. track — a song
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. scale — size or range
  14. shower — rain
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. squash — to crush
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bowl — to roll

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