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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.

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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mate — to breed
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bowl — a dish

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