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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tube — a container
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. capital — a city
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. kick — in football
  9. cue — for pool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. capital — money
  14. tube — the underground
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cue — a signal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cue — a hint

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