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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 · mouse · face · land · fine · suit · bat · nail

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. face — to point toward
  3. suit — in cards
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. land — ground
  7. fine — high quality
  8. land — to come down
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fine — all right
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. face — to confront
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. land — a country
  24. bat — in an idiom

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