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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. drill — army training
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — to recline
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pitcher — a jug

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