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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. mate — to breed
  3. face — to confront
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lie — to recline
  10. track — a path
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. drill — army training
  14. track — to keep track
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tube — a container
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. track — a song
  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