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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: race · nail · present · patient · foot · hide · bear · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. race — the arms race
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — there
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — a gift
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. race — humankind
  22. present — the time now
  23. race — a contest
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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