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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. staff — a stick
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. drill — army training
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. row — a line
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. staff — employees
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mug — a face

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