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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stand — to bear
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. land — ground
  8. sharp — clever
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. land — to come down
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ball — a great time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. land — a country
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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