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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 120 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: rush · foot · lie · bay · hide · patient · ground · row

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lie — to recline
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ground — the earth
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ground — a position
  21. row — a line
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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