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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cue — a hint
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. net — after costs
  7. spell — magic
  8. net — in sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — for catching
  17. cue — for pool
  18. chip — to eat

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