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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mark — a trace
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mark — a grade
  16. row — to paddle
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. row — a line
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — clever

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