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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 · rock · mouse · lie · calf · rest · leaves · chest

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chest — of your body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. drill — army training
  21. rock — music
  22. chest — a box
  23. lie — to recline
  24. calf — of the leg

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