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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. land — a country
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rest — a break
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. drill — army training

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