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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 116 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: shower · deal · rest · sharp · net · bore · lie · stand

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rest — what's left
  5. shower — to wash
  6. net — in sport
  7. shower — rain
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bore — to drill
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rest — a break
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. net — after costs
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rest — what's left
  21. net — for catching
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bore — to tire

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