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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. drill — army training
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fork — in a road
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — goods
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. sharp — clever
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — shares
  24. cue — a hint

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