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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
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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: game · hide · race · content · jam · cap · lie · rush

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cap — a lid
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — a match
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. game — wild animals
  12. race — a contest
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. race — humankind
  16. content — happy
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. content — the amount
  22. cap — of ice
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. game — a kind of play

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