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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bear · snap · mine · roll · mark · suit · nail

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bear — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to click
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. roll — a list
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mark — a grade
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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