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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. scale — size or range
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. scale — in music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. arm — part of the body

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