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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 120 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. shower — to wash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spring — the season
  7. file — a line of people
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bass — low music
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. file — a tool
  14. shower — rain
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bore — to tire
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. file — a document
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. spring — of water

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