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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · dip · net · stand · rush · can · drill · lie

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. net — after costs
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — for catching
  5. dip — to sink
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. drill — the tool
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. net — in sport
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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