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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. rule — a law
  6. lean — thin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — music
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. net — for catching
  13. rule — government
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — to recline
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lean — to bend
  20. hand — help
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. net — after costs

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