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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.

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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: mouse · stick · pound · nail · deal · stand · rest · hide

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stand — to bear
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. deal — to handle
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — 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