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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lie · root · dip · object · bank · pitcher · bat · hide

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. root — the cause
  4. object — an aim
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. object — to protest
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. lie — to recline
  11. root — of a word
  12. dip — to sink
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bat — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. object — a thing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — a sauce

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