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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lie — to recline
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. club — a group
  12. net — after costs
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — a break
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. club — for golf
  20. rash — a series
  21. club — for dancing
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — a tool

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