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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.

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: nail · lie · stick · pitcher · clip · stand · wound · bore

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bore — to tire
  6. clip — for paper
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. clip — a video
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. clip — to cut
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. nail — on a finger

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