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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: fine · wind · bark · lie · ground · press · dip · hide

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. ground — a position
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — crushed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. press — to push
  14. bark — to shout
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ground — the earth
  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