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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: hide · suit · roll · date · drill · season · lie · bay

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. roll — a cake
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. suit — clothes
  7. drill — army training
  8. season — of the year
  9. lie — to recline
  10. season — in sport
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. roll — a list
  24. suit — in cards

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