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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: stick · clip · lie · mark · drill · lean · hide · suit

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a trace
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. clip — a video
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — a grade
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. clip — for paper

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