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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 116 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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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 · mug · chair · bear · perch · bore · hide · cell

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — a cup
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cell — in biology
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — a face
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bore — to drill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bear — the animal

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