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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spring — of water
  8. bark — to shout
  9. spring — the season
  10. pass — a permit
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wind — moving air
  17. spring — a coil
  18. lie — to recline
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pass — to succeed

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