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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — to bear
  8. shower — to wash
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. band — a ring
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. band — a music group
  20. shower — rain
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — a grade

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