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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. net — for catching
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. net — in sport
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to click
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. net — after costs
  24. dip — to sink

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