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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.

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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. branch — a division
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. season — of the year
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. scale — in music
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — to recline
  18. scale — size or range
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. season — in sport
  24. kick — in football

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