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

Word bank: object · stem · straw · ground · lie · bowl · drill · deal

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ground — a position
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ground — the earth
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — to recline
  10. object — an aim
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stem — to come from
  13. drill — the tool
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. object — to protest
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. drill — army training
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bowl — a dish

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