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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
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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: dip · hand · lie · wave · season · rash · bark · hide

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rash — a series
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. season — in sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. season — of the year
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bark — to shout
  22. hand — in cards
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rash — on the skin

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