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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lie — to recline
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. drill — army training
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. current — happening now
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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