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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a music group
  6. dip — to sink
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. kid — child
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. dip — to dunk

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