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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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. foot — a measure
  5. craft — boats
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. face — to confront
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cue — a hint
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cue — a signal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. branch — a division
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — part of the head
  23. craft — a skill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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