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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: rush · drill · lie · bowl · bear · temple · saw · chair

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — hurry
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. drill — army training
  14. saw — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rush — to hurry

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