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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: lie · toast · drill · wake · arm · suit · pound · racket

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lie — to recline
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. toast — bread
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. drill — army training
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wake — a trail
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — a practice
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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