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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — to visit
  8. net — for catching
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pop — soda
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pop — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — low music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — the fish
  21. net — after costs
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bass — the instrument

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