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

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — tied together
  4. swing — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — a price
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. charge — in control
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bat — the animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bound — certain
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rest — what's left

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