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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: drill · row · rush · toast · chair · saw · lie · bound

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bound — obliged
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bound — tied together
  8. row — a line
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. saw — the tool
  15. drill — the tool
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. toast — bread
  20. bound — certain
  21. chair — a leader
  22. drill — army training
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — the most admired

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