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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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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: ruler · lie · patient · bore · wake · hide · pitch · bay

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitch — completely
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lie — to recline
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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