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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 120 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: lie · bat · rule · drill · temple · bound · stand · craft

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. craft — boats
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bat — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — certain
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bound — obliged

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