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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.

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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. drill — army training
  8. scale — in music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. date — the fruit
  16. rush — hurry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. scale — size or range
  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