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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · ground · hide · nail · dip · court · lie · wake

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. court — for sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — of law
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. kick — in football
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wake — a trail
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — a position
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lie — to recline

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