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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spell — letters
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lie — to recline
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. spell — magic
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — to drill

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