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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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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: jam · hide · saw · net · pit · bear · lie · root

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. root — of a word
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. root — of a plant
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. net — for catching
  20. pit — in a race
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. root — the cause
  24. saw — the tool

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