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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mate — a friend
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wind — moving air
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bore — to tire
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bore — to drill
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. leaves — lets stay

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