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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: spell · rush · hide · mine · suit · lie · bore · pitch

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. spell — magic
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bore — to drill
  14. spell — letters
  15. lie — to recline
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bore — to tire

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