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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stock — shares
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stock — goods
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. shower — rain
  24. coach — a trainer

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