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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bass — the fish
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bass — low music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — in football
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. race — a contest
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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