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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. can — to be able to
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. court — for sport
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — a tin
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. court — of a king
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bass — low music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. court — of law
  24. bass — the fish

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