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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bore — to drill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mate — a friend
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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