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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · arm · tube · mouse · drill · lie · pit · roll

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. tube — a container
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. firm — decided
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. drill — a practice
  20. firm — a company
  21. pit — in a race
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pit — a hole

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