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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. root — of a plant
  10. dip — to sink
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. root — of a word
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. root — the cause
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. jam — in traffic

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