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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.

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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: suit · kid · cap · stick · nail · mark · hide · spell

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cap — a lid
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. kid — to tease
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cap — of ice
  15. kid — child
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cap — a hat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spell — magic
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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