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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. roll — a cake
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. date — the fruit
  11. roll — a list
  12. swing — to play on
  13. present — the time now
  14. swing — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. present — there
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. present — a gift
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. deal — an agreement

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