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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lean — thin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. season — of the year
  14. rest — what's left
  15. season — in sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. band — a ring
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rest — a break
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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