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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: lie · ground · can · mark · mouse · saw · hide · stand

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ground — a position
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ground — the earth

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