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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bark — to shout
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. last — finally
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. last — to go on
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. last — final

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