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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. net — in sport
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. net — for catching
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fall — to drop
  11. charge — electricity
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. drill — a practice
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. net — after costs

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