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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mine — for digging
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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