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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. staff — a stick
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rash — hasty
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. drill — a practice
  14. hand — in cards
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. drill — army training
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rash — a series
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bound — obliged
  22. hand — help
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pass — to spend time

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