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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 · cold · rock · squash · lie · pass · coach · bore

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bore — to tire
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cold — an illness
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cold — not warm
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bore — to drill
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pass — a permit
  22. squash — the sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — music

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