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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lie — to recline
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. date — the fruit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. foot — a measure
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. scale — size or range
  22. dip — to sink
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. hide — to keep secret

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