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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bore — to tire
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rest — a break
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bore — gave birth

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