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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
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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 · hide · pound · row · bass · mouse · pitch · drill

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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. pound — to hit hard
  4. bass — low music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pound — a weight
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. drill — army training
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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