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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: lie · bark · craft · chip · rash · suit · coach · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. craft — boats
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rash — a series
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. chip — for betting
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lie — to recline

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