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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. spell — letters
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. fine — all right
  6. drill — army training
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mug — to rob
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mug — a cup
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. last — to go on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. last — final
  17. drill — a practice
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spell — magic
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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