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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · nail · face · bank · bear · racket · wake · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bank — of a river
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. wake — a trail
  20. face — to confront
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bank — for money
  24. face — to point toward

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