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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bore — to drill
  3. last — to go on
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. last — finally
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. last — final
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. field — a subject
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mug — a cup
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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