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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. object — to protest
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. rock — music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bore — to tire
  12. capital — money
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bore — to drill
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. object — an aim
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. capital — a city
  21. lie — to recline
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — a thing
  24. capital — a big letter

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