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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — a match
  3. mug — to rob
  4. game — wild animals
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — music
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mug — a cup
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. swing — to play on
  16. lie — to recline
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mug — a face
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a skill
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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