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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lie — to recline
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mine — for digging
  7. club — a group
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. 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