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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. content — the amount
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. degree — temperature
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. sharp — clever
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — happy

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