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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rule — government
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. key — in music
  24. lie — an untruth

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