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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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. tube — a container
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. object — to protest
  13. lie — to recline
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. drill — army training
  21. object — a thing
  22. drill — a practice
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — the animal

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