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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: mug · suit · pitcher · bore · straw · land · lie · drill

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. land — a country
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bore — to drill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. land — ground
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. drill — army training
  13. bore — to tire
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mug — a face
  16. suit — in cards
  17. drill — a practice
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — to come down

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