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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. suit — to fit
  9. degree — temperature
  10. tube — a container
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mark — a grade
  17. tube — the underground
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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