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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rule — a law
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rule — government
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spell — letters
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spell — magic
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a great time
  24. saw — the tool

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