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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chest — of your body
  3. tube — a container
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. band — a music group
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. firm — a company
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chest — of your body
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. swing — music
  20. firm — steady
  21. chest — a box
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a ring

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