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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — a law
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spell — magic
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. spell — a short time
  13. staff — employees
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. spell — letters
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rule — government

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