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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 116 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: swing · bass · nail · land · ground · mate · hide · bear

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. ground — the earth
  12. swing — music
  13. land — a country
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. swing — to play on
  16. land — ground
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — a position
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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