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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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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mine — for digging
  7. kick — in football
  8. staff — employees
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. staff — employees
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — a stick
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mug — a face
  23. lie — to recline
  24. kick — a thrill

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