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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a dance
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lie — to recline
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hide — to keep secret

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