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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 116 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: ground · bay · wake · hide · march · lie · rock · pitcher

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ground — a position
  4. march — the month
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. march — music
  7. ground — crushed
  8. march — the month
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. hide — animal skin

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