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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bark — to shout
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — to recline
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. bank — for money
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. game — wild animals
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bank — of a river
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a match

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