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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 · foot · wake · board · ball · bear · hide · deal

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — to get on
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ball — a dance
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ball — a great time
  16. deal — to handle
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. hide — to keep secret

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