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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rest — a break
  4. swing — music
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bank — for money
  11. kick — in football
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mine — for digging
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bank — of a river
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. season — of the year
  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