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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: sharp · bore · coach · deal · lie · ball · chair · wave

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. chair — a leader
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bore — to tire
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. sharp — clever
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lie — an untruth

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