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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
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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: hide · coach · firm · degree · tube · arm · lie · bay

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — a company
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — decided
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lie — to recline
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — a horse colour

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