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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: drill · present · arm · lie · wound · hide · bulb · bark

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — the time now
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — for light
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. drill — army training
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bark — of a tree

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