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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 116 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: cue · lie · sharp · hide · rest · lean · degree · patient

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. degree — from a university
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lean — to bend
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cue — for pool
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. degree — temperature
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cue — a signal
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. degree — an amount
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cue — a hint

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