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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. craft — a skill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pop — music
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — soda
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. drill — the tool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bore — gave birth

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