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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: jam · bear · hide · suit · stem · nail · tube · ground

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. stem — to come from
  12. tube — a container
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ground — the earth
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bear — the animal

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