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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: jam · arm · patient · bore · pop · lie · hide · mark

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lie — to recline
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — to drill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lie — an untruth

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