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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: lean · saw · ball · perch · race · hide · staff · lie

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. race — humankind
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ball — a dance
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — thin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — a stick
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lean — to bend
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. race — the arms race
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. staff — employees
  23. race — a contest
  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