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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 · spell · mug · lie · current · wound · tube · staff

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wound — an injury
  10. drill — a practice
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. drill — the tool
  14. spell — magic
  15. tube — a container
  16. drill — army training
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mug — a cup
  20. staff — employees
  21. mug — a face
  22. tube — the underground
  23. current — happening now
  24. wound — an injury

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