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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 120 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: drill · lie · mate · fall · craft · pass · mark · calf

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fall — the season
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — the tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mark — a grade
  20. drill — army training
  21. craft — boats
  22. mark — a trace
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fall — to drop

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