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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.

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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: bowl · hide · hand · lie · kid · cue · lean · dip

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kid — child
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hand — in cards
  8. lean — to bend
  9. kid — to tease
  10. cue — a signal
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — for pool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — thin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. dip — a sauce

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