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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lie — to recline
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chest — a box
  7. cell — a phone
  8. rock — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. drill — army training
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. can — a tin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chest — of your 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