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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 · fine · land · leaves · rock · hide · ball · chip

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chip — for betting
  7. land — a country
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fine — all right
  11. land — ground
  12. fine — high quality
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rock — music
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. land — to come down
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ball — a great time
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rock — a stone

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