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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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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: roll · lie · bore · mate · stand · wake · jam · sharp

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stand — to bear
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. roll — a list
  16. lie — to recline
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wake — a trail
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mate — a partner
  22. sharp — clever
  23. roll — a cake
  24. stand — on your feet

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