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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. drill — a practice
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rash — hasty
  10. lie — to recline
  11. prune — to trim
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. degree — an amount
  14. drill — the tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. drill — army training
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. degree — from a university
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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