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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bark — to shout
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — soda
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. firm — decided
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cell — a phone
  22. firm — a company
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lie — to recline

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