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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · hide · coach · race · lie · mine · pitcher · drill

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. race — the arms race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lie — to recline
  11. race — a contest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. drill — the tool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — army training
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. race — humankind

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