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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — a path
  6. kid — child
  7. track — a song
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rush — hurry
  10. drill — army training
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bass — low music
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mug — a face
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bass — the instrument

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