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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.

Make a worksheet

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: date · hide · lie · scale · fan · straw · toast · object

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. date — the fruit
  5. object — to protest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — in music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. object — a thing
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. scale — size or range
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. toast — bread
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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