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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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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: current · pass · present · bore · cap · lie · deal · fall

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. current — electric
  13. cap — a lid
  14. deal — to handle
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. present — the time now
  19. current — of water
  20. present — there
  21. fall — the season
  22. present — a gift
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cap — of ice

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