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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rest — a break
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. firm — decided
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — steady
  20. bound — certain
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. firm — a company
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — to recline

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