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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 124 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. firm — steady
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pop — soda
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cap — a hat
  13. firm — a company
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pop — to visit
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pop — music
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — decided

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