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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: racket · tear · hide · bore · suit · bear · mark · fall

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fall — the season
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — to drop
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tear — from crying
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bear — the animal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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