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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: fork · bat · lie · race · hide · rule · bay · tube

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. tube — a container
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. tube — the underground
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — a contest
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. race — humankind
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bat — the animal

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