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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. land — a country
  4. tube — a container
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. land — ground
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bass — low music
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lean — to bend
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tube — the underground
  23. land — to come down
  24. bass — the fish

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