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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. spring — a coil
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spring — of water
  14. mug — to rob
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. key — in music
  18. mug — a face
  19. spring — the season
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. key — for a lock
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — to recline
  24. key — the most important part

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