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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. press — newspapers
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. row — to paddle
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hand — help
  15. deal — to handle
  16. row — a line
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chip — for betting
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. row — a quarrel

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