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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. file — a line of people
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. firm — steady
  8. tube — a container
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. file — a tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. craft — boats
  23. lie — to recline
  24. file — a document

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