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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hand — in cards
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — part of the body

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