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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — to recline
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hide — to keep secret

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