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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. drill — army training
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. drill — a practice
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bass — low music
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fork — in a road

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