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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pit — a hole
  13. plane — a tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pit — in a race
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. deal — to handle
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — an agreement

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