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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. face — part of the head
  6. drill — army training
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. saw — the tool
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. drill — a practice
  13. present — the time now
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. present — there
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. drill — the tool
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. present — a gift

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