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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: hide · bore · sharp · fan · root · bass · lie · suit

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bass — low music
  18. root — of a word
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. root — of a plant

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