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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: hide · scale · spell · bear · nail · jam · face · rock

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. face — part of the head
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rock — a stone
  5. face — to confront
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. spell — letters
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — size or range
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. spell — magic
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — to move gently

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