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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — happening now
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. track — a path
  7. cue — a hint
  8. current — electric
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cue — for pool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. track — a song
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kick — in football
  20. cold — an illness
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cold — not warm
  23. track — to keep track
  24. current — of water

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