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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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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: bay · safe · kick · dip · saw · lie · mark · hide

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — a grade
  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