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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. present — there
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — the time now
  7. race — humankind
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. last — to go on
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. last — finally
  12. present — a gift
  13. last — final
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — a cup
  16. race — a contest
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mug — a face
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mug — to rob
  23. race — the arms race
  24. lie — an untruth

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