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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bank — of a river
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bat — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. charge — electricity
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — in control
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — a price
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lie — an untruth

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