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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fall — the season
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bass — low music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mark — a trace
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bore — to drill
  24. mug — a face

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