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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. shower — rain
  8. file — a tool
  9. shower — to wash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — of ice
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. file — a document
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. file — a line of people
  24. foot — part of the body

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