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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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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: lie · hand · fall · pit · racket · present · bore · firm

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. present — there
  3. fall — the season
  4. lie — to recline
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — steady
  7. bore — to tire
  8. firm — a company
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. present — the time now
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. firm — decided
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fall — to drop
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. hand — help
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — a gift
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. hand — part of the body
  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