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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ball — a dance
  3. game — a match
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — steady
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. firm — a company
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. game — wild animals

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