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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. net — in sport
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. spell — magic
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spell — letters
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. net — for catching
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. chip — to eat
  24. root — of a word

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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