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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
468
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: nail · rule · spring · racket · hide · bear · fall · can

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spring — the season
  3. rule — a law
  4. spring — a coil
  5. fall — to drop
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spring — of water
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — government
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fall — the season
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hide — to keep secret

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