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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
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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: spell · fan · drill · nail · lie · bound · cap · leaves

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spell — a short time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — the tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bound — tied together
  10. spell — letters
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spell — magic
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. drill — army training
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cap — of ice
  24. leaves — lets stay

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