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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — a stone
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rock — music
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cue — for pool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. drill — army training
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bound — certain
  24. rash — a series

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