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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bass — low music
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fine — all right
  9. suit — clothes
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bass — the fish
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. game — a match
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. game — wild animals
  22. ground — a position
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fan — a supporter

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