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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: arm · saw · bowl · toast · lie · board · drill · land

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. toast — bread
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. land — to come down
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. board — a committee
  9. saw — the tool
  10. land — a country
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. drill — army training
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. board — to get on
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — ground
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. lie — to recline
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bowl — a football final
  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