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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. present — a gift
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. present — the time now
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rule — a law
  11. lie — to recline
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — there
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rule — government
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bat — the animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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