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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. object — an aim
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. club — for dancing
  11. hand — in cards
  12. rule — a law
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — government
  16. bass — low music
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. object — a thing
  20. lie — to recline
  21. object — to protest
  22. club — a group
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — the fish

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